1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to articles of apparel, including gloves. The invention concerns, more particularly, a glove with material elements that are joined in a stitchless manner. The invention has application to a variety of glove styles that are utilized during athletic activities.
2. Description of Background Art
A conventional glove is generally formed from multiple material elements that are joined together to form a structure for covering at least a portion of a hand. The material elements may include, for example, various textiles, leather, insulative materials, and foams. Textiles that stretch or otherwise conform to contours of the hand may be utilized to form a glove that suits a wide range of hand shapes and sizes. Similarly, textiles that permit air flow between opposite sides may be utilized to impart cooling or facilitate removal of perspiration. Whereas leather is generally incorporated into a glove to impart a relatively high degree of durability, insulative materials may protect the hand from temperature extremes, whether hot or cold. In addition, foams may be incorporated into a glove in order to attenuate forces and absorb energy (i.e., impart cushioning). Accordingly, the design of a glove often involves selecting a combination of material elements that are appropriate for the activities and environmental conditions in which the glove is intended to be used.
The material elements of a conventional glove are commonly joined through a stitching process, for example. Accordingly, a thread repetitively passes through two or more material elements to join the material elements together and form stitched seams. An adverse effect of this manner of joining material elements is that the stitched seams form a discontinuity in the conventional glove that the individual may sense. That is, the individual may detect or otherwise feel the presence of the stitched seams. When the glove is utilized, therefore, the stitched seams may form areas of discomfort as the stitched seams contact the skin of the individual. In addition, the stitched seams may inhibit the tactile properties of the conventional glove. For example, the stitched seams may obscure or decrease the degree to which the individual may sense objects that are in contact with the glove.